現代茶道思想網建立者:蔡榮章.許玉蓮。現代茶道思想網收錄蔡榮章、許玉蓮自1970年代末至今原創文稿及圖。一切版權屬作者所有,侵權必究。本網任何部分內容未經作者授權,不得以任何方式(包括文本、音頻、視頻等電子產品)抄襲、轉載、改造、翻印、錄音、出版。(The Way of Tea : a Contemporary Perspective. All rights reserved.)
出品:许玉莲 Producer:Hooi Yoke Lien 作词:蔡荣章 Lyric by:Tsai Rong-Tsang 作曲:友弟 Music by:Yudi Yap 编曲:阮柳韵 Music Arrangement by:Yuan Leow Yunn 演唱:友弟 Sung by:Yudi Yap 大提琴: Eugene Chong Cello by:Eugene Chong 和音及编写:周翠玲 Backing Vocals & Arrangement by:Lydia Chew 童音:叶家顺 Child Singing:Kah Shun 制作统筹:友弟@摩登南洋 Produced by:Modern Nanyang 制作助理: William Ang Production Assistant:William Ang 录音: William Ang Recorded by:Arron 混音&母带后期制作: Alex Tan Mixed & Mastered by:Alex Tan 录音室: Star Mount Recording Studio Recording Studio:Star Mount Recording Studio
The score awarded to tea
brewing is based on a few criteria, including a person’s movement, attire and
grooming, and the resulting tea infusion. Among these, tea infusion is clearly
the most important consideration. If the infusion falls short of expectation,
it fails regardless of how well the person performed in the other areas. With a
tea well made, other well-executed items may help gain a few marks; while
poorly-executed items may cost a few. In this regard, an overall score calculated
by simply adding up the itemised marks defeats the intended purpose. For
example, if the tea is poorly made, but the movement, tea ware and attire score
high, the overall score may still secure a top spot, creating an impression
that the Way of Tea is not predominantly about the tea infusion. In the event
that judges evaluate a person’s movement, tea ware, attire, and tea infusion separately
(and each item has its own weight/percentage), the overall score awarded may deviate
from the core concept of tea infusion being the ultimate goal of the Way of Tea.
The fact is, while these items (aside from tea infusion) individually contribute
to a lower percentage, they may make a big difference when the marks add up, if
the judges give very high marks for each but comparatively lower marks for the
tea infusion (which has a higher percentage). As such, we strongly recommend giving
an overall score first based largely on the tea infusion, which helps assess
one’s skill in tea brewing. This decides if the tea has met with expectation
and secured a pass. After this, points can be added or deducted based on the
person’s movement, tea ware, attire, etc. If the mark of the infusion is a
borderline case and points are further deducted based on the performance of the
other items, the person is destined to fail. If the mark of the infusion falls
way below the pass mark, then marks gained from the other items will only help
narrow the gap but never get him close enough to reach the pass mark.
The score of a tea infusion is
decided by the ability to
bring out the commercial
quality of the tea and the ability
to achieve the highest
quality of each brew of the tea. The tea leaves come in different grades (such
as grade 1, grade 2 or grade 3) according to their inherent quality and conditions. The person brewing needs to brew the best possible infusion that showcases a
tea’s particular quality and conditions, whichever grade the tea is. It won’t
do justice to the tea if the infusion doesn’t reflect its best possible
conditions! The judges will mark
according to the percentage the infusion has achieved against the best possible
quality – for example, 80 marks is awarded to tea that brings out 80% of the best possible quality; and 70 marks for the infusion good understanding of a tea’s inherent quality
and conditions before giving
marks. Here is a case in
point. We had an experience whereby a tea initially thought to be substandard
eventually went up two grades after a few rounds of adjustment to the water
temperature, amount of tea leaves, steeping time, and tea brewing utensils made
of different materials.
Marks are typically given for
the first, second and third brew, or more. Tea infusion is evaluated according
to the percentage of which it has brought out the best possible quality of the tea
leaves during that particular round of brewing – 90 marks is awarded to tea infusion
bringing out 90% of the best possible quality for that round; and 70 marks for the infusion achieving 70% of the best possible quality for that round, and so on. To find out the best possible quality of
a batch of tea leaves and each round of brewing, brew under different physical/environmental
conditions (such as using different water temperature, amount of tea leaves,
steeping time and tea ware made of different materials) and technical
conditions (such as the ability of the tea brewing person in assessing and brewing
the tea). Understandably, the best possible quality of the second brew will be
lower than that of the first brew. By the same token, the best possible quality
of the third brew will not be on par with that of the second brew. Tea infusion
of each brew is evaluated according to the percentage of which it brings out the
best possible quality of the tea leaves during that particular round of
brewing. Having said that, the best possible quality of each brew is affected
by the infusion from the previous brew – if the previous brew is very strong,
the best possible quality of the subsequent brew will definitely be lower than
it should be. Meanwhile, if the water temperature of the previous brew is
relatively low and the infusion not as strong, the best possible quality of the
subsequent brew may be higher than it should be.
Tea infusion is subject to the
inherent quality and conditions of a batch of tea leaves, and the condition of
tea leaves during a particular round of brewing. The quality of tea leaves should
be based on the highest quality and condition of a particular batch, and the
quality of tea leaves for each brew should be based on the best possible
infusion they yield for each round of brewing. The overall score for tea
brewing is the sum of the highest possible percentage achieved for these two
criteria.
Key Takeaways:
The scoring of tea brewing is largely
determined by that of the tea infusion.
How to avoid the marks given to a person’s
movement, tea ware, attire and grooming, etc. affecting the passing or failing
of a tea infusion.
The score of a tea infusion covers that of
the quality of the tea leaves and of each brew.
The percentage of the best possible quality
of a particular grade of tea leaves reflected by the tea infusion decides the
score for the quality of the tea leaves.
The percentage of the best possible quality
of a particular round of brewing reflected by the tea infusion decides the
score for each brew.
The best possible
tea infusion of each batch of tea leaves and during each round of brewing can
be found out by brewing under different physical/environmental conditions and technical
conditions.
The best possible quality of each brew is
affected by the quality of the preceding brews.